As both a linguistics major in college, and a speaker of three languages- ones in which I am reasonably fluent, anyhow, never mind the smatterings of others I've picked up- people often ask why I chose to study language. The answer is a complex one, and ironically contained within itself, but here goes an attempt on why I am fascinated by languages.
1) Language and thought. There are a number of different theories on whether language forces thought patterns into a certain path, or if thought patterns are learned before language, and therefor forces linguistic style into a certain shape. Regardless of the chicken or the egg question here, there is clearly a connection between language and thought, and I am fascinated by how people who speak other languages- or even other dialects- can view the world differently. For example, studies show that people who speak languages that differentiate between perfective and imperfective verbs (i.e. verbs that imply an end points vs those that don't, such as 'completed' vs 'worked on') focus more on whether a task was finished or not rather than how long it may have taken. Little things like that permeate literally everything we say and think, and that, to me, is awesome.
2) Langauge and culture. Different cultures hold different things to have more importance in life, leading them to lexicalize different concepts. Lexicalization is giving an entire concept a single word, rather than having to describe it each time. As cultures mix and merge, they borrow each other's lexicalizations, since there's no one word that is a direct translation. That's why, for example, we have to use "c'est la vie" to denote the necessity of just accepting that some things happen succinctly, and "schadenfreude" to point out when someone is taking joy from others' misfortunes. Those concepts were not important or recurring often enough as English developed to become words of their own, but to the French and Germans, respectively, they were. I love finding out backstories and etymologies to explain why things developed the way they did, and what the lives of earlier people were like that made those ideas so necessary.
3) Language history. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea (now there's a phrase), but I am similarly enthralled with the stories of how languages came to be the way they are now. Seeing the patterns in how they developed over the years; what borrowings, spelling rules, pronunciation shifts, and grammar rules they steal from each other as they come into contact; how one language gains ascendency over another by something as insignificant as which country's clothing- and by extension, language- was considered fashionable at a time of literary expansion.
I will also add that, having read extensively about language history and the mutability of spoken and written word, I am not so fast to condemn 'modern' language as being in a 'deplorable state of decline,' as such dire denunciations have been made continuously since at least the time of Old English. Shifting, yes, declining, no; but that's just my opinion.
4) Langauge and outlook. This ties into all of the above, actually, but goes a little further. Culture is, basically, what defines 'normal behavior' for each of us, and cultures vary wildly in how they deal with things. A single culture can encompass multiple languages, and vice versa. So when someone is called upon to react to a situation, their response is (usually) justified by both of these influential factors. Sometimes this falls in line with what is considered universal morality, such as saving a baby from being trampled by an angry mob, and sometimes it isn't, as in the case of treating other genders/ races/ cultures/ religions/etc as subhuman. The breadth of possibilities that can be justified by thought and culture is again, fascinating, though sometimes dreadful to my personal beliefs.
5) Expression. This is the one that got me into languages to start with. There are so many rich mental, emotional, and spiritual experiences that the English language is just horribly inadequate to express. This first came up when I was very young, and frustrated at the concept of "love." I loved my mommy and daddy, right? Yes. I loved my sisters, right? Well... grudgingly, now and then, but yes. I loved God, right? Well, yes, but not in the same way as I loved my sisters or my parents! And supposedly when I'm older there's still another way that I'll find to love someone?? But it's all called 'love?' I was very displeased with the inefficiency of things.
Then one day in church, the pastor made the distinction of philia, eros, and agape love, as delineated by the Greeks for friendly or familial love, passionate love, and love 'in spite of,' as he put it. I'm not even sure what the rest of the sermon was about, because I was blown away by the concept that there were other words out there that might do a better job of describing what was really going on in the world! Then when my dad started teaching himself French (I think as a mental exercise), I was further blown away that not only were there other words, but whole other languages, ways of thought, ways of looking at what I had assumed were absolutes.
From that moment, I wanted to learn as many languages as possible, so I could understand the world as close to reality as possible. Just as looking at an object from different angles can give you a better idea of its overall definition and purpose, so too, I reasoned, could looking at the world from different viewpoints give you a clearer idea of what's happening, why it's happening, and how it all links together.
If you've never studied language to fluency, it's hard to describe (see the irony) that moment when you find a great word that encompasses a difficult, nuanced situation perfectly, and you can add further understanding of the world to your outlook, but that's what I'm really after. I want to be able to express myself perfectly, and understand others perfectly, though I doubt I'll live long enough to master enough languages to do so. Doesn't stop me from trying though!
1) Language and thought. There are a number of different theories on whether language forces thought patterns into a certain path, or if thought patterns are learned before language, and therefor forces linguistic style into a certain shape. Regardless of the chicken or the egg question here, there is clearly a connection between language and thought, and I am fascinated by how people who speak other languages- or even other dialects- can view the world differently. For example, studies show that people who speak languages that differentiate between perfective and imperfective verbs (i.e. verbs that imply an end points vs those that don't, such as 'completed' vs 'worked on') focus more on whether a task was finished or not rather than how long it may have taken. Little things like that permeate literally everything we say and think, and that, to me, is awesome.
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| Yes but, for how long? |
2) Langauge and culture. Different cultures hold different things to have more importance in life, leading them to lexicalize different concepts. Lexicalization is giving an entire concept a single word, rather than having to describe it each time. As cultures mix and merge, they borrow each other's lexicalizations, since there's no one word that is a direct translation. That's why, for example, we have to use "c'est la vie" to denote the necessity of just accepting that some things happen succinctly, and "schadenfreude" to point out when someone is taking joy from others' misfortunes. Those concepts were not important or recurring often enough as English developed to become words of their own, but to the French and Germans, respectively, they were. I love finding out backstories and etymologies to explain why things developed the way they did, and what the lives of earlier people were like that made those ideas so necessary.
3) Language history. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea (now there's a phrase), but I am similarly enthralled with the stories of how languages came to be the way they are now. Seeing the patterns in how they developed over the years; what borrowings, spelling rules, pronunciation shifts, and grammar rules they steal from each other as they come into contact; how one language gains ascendency over another by something as insignificant as which country's clothing- and by extension, language- was considered fashionable at a time of literary expansion.
I will also add that, having read extensively about language history and the mutability of spoken and written word, I am not so fast to condemn 'modern' language as being in a 'deplorable state of decline,' as such dire denunciations have been made continuously since at least the time of Old English. Shifting, yes, declining, no; but that's just my opinion.
4) Langauge and outlook. This ties into all of the above, actually, but goes a little further. Culture is, basically, what defines 'normal behavior' for each of us, and cultures vary wildly in how they deal with things. A single culture can encompass multiple languages, and vice versa. So when someone is called upon to react to a situation, their response is (usually) justified by both of these influential factors. Sometimes this falls in line with what is considered universal morality, such as saving a baby from being trampled by an angry mob, and sometimes it isn't, as in the case of treating other genders/ races/ cultures/ religions/etc as subhuman. The breadth of possibilities that can be justified by thought and culture is again, fascinating, though sometimes dreadful to my personal beliefs.
5) Expression. This is the one that got me into languages to start with. There are so many rich mental, emotional, and spiritual experiences that the English language is just horribly inadequate to express. This first came up when I was very young, and frustrated at the concept of "love." I loved my mommy and daddy, right? Yes. I loved my sisters, right? Well... grudgingly, now and then, but yes. I loved God, right? Well, yes, but not in the same way as I loved my sisters or my parents! And supposedly when I'm older there's still another way that I'll find to love someone?? But it's all called 'love?' I was very displeased with the inefficiency of things.
Then one day in church, the pastor made the distinction of philia, eros, and agape love, as delineated by the Greeks for friendly or familial love, passionate love, and love 'in spite of,' as he put it. I'm not even sure what the rest of the sermon was about, because I was blown away by the concept that there were other words out there that might do a better job of describing what was really going on in the world! Then when my dad started teaching himself French (I think as a mental exercise), I was further blown away that not only were there other words, but whole other languages, ways of thought, ways of looking at what I had assumed were absolutes.
From that moment, I wanted to learn as many languages as possible, so I could understand the world as close to reality as possible. Just as looking at an object from different angles can give you a better idea of its overall definition and purpose, so too, I reasoned, could looking at the world from different viewpoints give you a clearer idea of what's happening, why it's happening, and how it all links together.
If you've never studied language to fluency, it's hard to describe (see the irony) that moment when you find a great word that encompasses a difficult, nuanced situation perfectly, and you can add further understanding of the world to your outlook, but that's what I'm really after. I want to be able to express myself perfectly, and understand others perfectly, though I doubt I'll live long enough to master enough languages to do so. Doesn't stop me from trying though!
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